Flame snuffer for wick-burners



A ril 17, 1956 A. M. STELLE ET AL FLAME SNUFFER FOR WICK-BURNERSOriginal Filed Nov. 7, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l I i l I' l l I I 64 1 ii 1,LJ I 1 i ALLEN M. JTELLE,

n 24M. K. BEE/a452, Aim/2y 0. FZ/cws,

IN VEN TORS.

ATTORNEYS- April 17, 1956 A. M. STELLE ET AL 2,741,904

FLAME SNUFFER FOR WICK-BURNERS Original Filed Nov. '7, 1949 2Sheets-Sheet 2 h 4 7 .54- 4% hiya 22? 55 W8? w 47 A44 2 I 53 "56 46 #12523K: ('21 47 ALLEN M. 575445,

24 W 3' HENRY QFZCHS,

FLAME SNUFFER FOR WICK-BURNERS Allen M. Stelle, San Marino, Paul K.Beemenl'asadena, and Henry 0. Fuchs, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors toPreco Incorporated, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California aOriginal application November 7, 1949, Serial No. 125,944. Divided andthis application March 16, .1951, Serial No. 215,971 I 4 Claims. cr-67--78) The present invention relates generally to flame snuffers, andis more particularly concerned with snuffers adapted for regulating andsnuffing the flame from wick burners.

This application is a division of our'co-pending application entitledThermostatically Controlled Heater, filed November 7, 1949, SerialNumber 125,944, now Patent No. 2,717,590, issued September 13, 1955.

Thoughnot so limited, the invention is particularly Well adapted for usein connection with the thermostatic control of wick-flames t heaterssuch as are described in said co-pending applicationtha't is, heaterswhich find widespread use in the field of heating produce-containingrailroad cars and trucks. Such heaters are exposed to very severeservice conditions and yet it is highly important that they functioneffectively over long periods of unattended useas fully set forth'insaid co-pending application.

Accordingly, it is necessary that every element and unit of the heatersbe dependable and quickly responsive to changing temperature conditions,and this includes the flame regulators and snufferswhich necessarilyplay an essential part in thethermostatic control of the heater burners.t

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to providea snufferwhich is exceptionally sturdy and yet is relatively delicate inresponse -that is, of a nature to respond quickly and surely whenrelatively slightly changing temperature conditions demand its operativemovement. Q

It is a further object of the invention to provide a strong,light-weight flame regulator and snulfer which is of simple constructionand easy of fabrication.

As a furtherfeature of the invention, one embodiment; thereofincorporates a guard which is adapted to function effectively to preventdrafts fromaccidentally extinguishing the pilot flame of the burner.Other objects and features of theinvention will be made apparent fromthe following detailed description, reference being had to accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a medial section, partlyin broken-away elevation, of ourimproved snuflFer, in an association with a thermostatic control deviceand a wick-burner;

Fig. ,2 is a section on y it shows a control crank arm and its operatingrodirnoved to positions other than those they occupy inFig'. 1; i

. Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a portion of a snap' over springassembly which may be incoporated in the device;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary medial section showing a variational form ofburner cartridge and flame-regulating and snufling member; and

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. v

As stated in the introduction, the invention is particularlywell adaptedto use in connection with heaters and thermostatic control devices suchas are set forth respec tively in said copending application (whereinclaims to the heater, as a whole, are to be found and our co-pendingapplication entitled Thermostatic Control Unit, filed line 24 of Fig. 1,exceptthat 2 March 16,1951, Serial No. 215,972. We will thereforedescribe the present invention in such environment, but it will'beunderstood this is not to be considered as limitative. t

A fragment of the dome of a heater is indicated at 12, this domesupporting the horizontally spaced, vertical tubes 24 and 60. A burnerunit 23 is supported in tube 24 and a thermostatic control unit A issupported in tube 60. Burner unit 23 comprises arnetal jacket 27 whichretains a central pilot burner wick 2S and a surrounding, annular, mainburner wick 29. The wicks may be made of any suitable non-charrablematerial such as glass fibre or equivalent substance presenting suitablecapillary passageways.

Pilot wick 28 is contained within a wick-tube 36 which terminates in asubstantially conical pilot burner tip or dome 41 with a central orifice44.

. The flame regulator or snuffer is generally indicated at C andincludes an annulus 46 having a down-turned, outer peripheral flange 47,or, more generally, a centrallyapertured and upwardly dished, circularplate. The annulus is pivotally mounted at 47 on a control arm 48 ofinverted channel cross-section. The arm, in turn, has pivotal mountingon shaft 49 which is fixed with relation to burner unit 23, the locationof the shaft being more definitely established later 011..

Annulus 46 is supported byarm 48 so bore 50 is in axial alinementwithpilot burner tip 41, the bore being of a diameter to take that tip, withsuitable working clearance, when the snuffer is vertically reciprocated.In the unextinguishedeven though the snuffer be down. When a temperaturedrop subsequently causes arm 48 to elevate annulus 46, the upper end ofWick 29 is re-exposed and the fuel fed to the main burner is re-ignitedby the pilot flame. In its upper position, the extinguisher 46 acts as ahood spaced above the main burner and serves, among other things,efficiently to spread and divert the main burner flame and the heatgenerated thereby.

It is desirable that the vertical space between the main burner and theouter periphery of annulus 46, acting as a hood, be substantiallyuniform when the main burner is in operation, so the delivery from theannular combustion mouth Slmay be uniform throughout its full peripheralextent. This is accomplished by providing for the pivotal mounting ofannulus 46 on arm 48 and by hanging the annulus withits center of massbelow the pivot point. The pivotal mounting also allows annulus 46 toself adjust itself to an even seating on flange 33. While this pivotalconnection may be of any suitable type, we have here shown anarrangement particularly well adapted to the purpose both from thestandpoint of fabrication and operation. Vertical ears 52 are struck upfrom the annulus 46 immediately adjacent bore 50 and are then bentflame-regulator for main burner 29, though the showing anddescription ofthis means is not to be considered as limitative.

Unit A includes a housing generally indicated at 67;

made up of cylindrical jacket 68 (Figs. 1 and 2) and the generallyrectangular shell 69 which is in the form of an 1nverted channel memberhaving a top wall or web 71) and vertical side walls or flanges 71. Sidewalls 71 have segmental horizontal flanges 72 welded at 73 to jacket 63,and it is these walls which support pivot-shaft 49, previously spokenof, whereby arm 48 is mounted for swinging movement. Walls 71 extendchordally beyond jacket (Fig. 2) and are connected at one side of thejacket by the end wall 74 which is arcuate as viewed in plan, the loweredge of wall 74 having a struck-up ear 75 to act as an arm stop.

The lowermost end of tube 68 houses a bi-metallic, coiled-band type ofthermostatic element 84, having the resilient qualities usual to suchelements. The inner end of the coil is operatively connected toactuating rod 85, while the outer end of the coil is connected to jacket68 at 87. The upper end of rod has universal joint connection 97 with arotatable disk 99 carried, in turn, by top wall 70. Disk 99 is rotatableabout point 99a (Fig. 2) and the joint connection 97 is eccentricallylocated with respect to this point. Disk 99 is manually rotated byhandle 16''! connected thereto at 185, Fig. 1.

The formation of that portion of arm 48 which lies within housing 69will now be described. The arm is there widened, its edges beingdownwardly turned to provide flanges 114 which fit, with workingclearance, between the housing walls 71. Pivot shaft 49 passes throughthose flanges. The widened portion 115 of the arm is centrally cut awayto form arms 116 and 117 connected at their ends by cross bar 118, acounterweight 119 being screwed to the latter. Housing car 75 ispositioned beneath counterweight 119 to act as a stop limiting thecounterclockwise movement of arm 48, as viewed in Fig. 1, and thusestablishing the height to which snutfer 46 is elevated above the mainburner when the latter is in full operation. Weight 119 substantiallycounterbalances the longer portion of arm 48 and the snuffer annulus 46,rendering the snuffer substantially non responsive to verticalacceleration.

Ears 120 and 121 are similar except that ear 121 is pierced to receiveone end of link 123. They are struck upwardly from arms 116 and 117,respectively, the ears being substantially in vertical alinement withpivot 49 when arm 48 is exactly horizontal. Ear 120 serves as a stop forarm under a shut-off setting of handle 107, as will appear, while car121 functions as a crank arm in the operative connection between rod 85and arm 48.

Secured to red 85 at a point above arm 48, is crank arm 122 whose distalend is connected to crank arm 121 by link or connecting rod 123. Thepoint of pivotal connection 124 between crank 121 and connecting rod 123lies substantially in the vertical axial plane of pivot 49 when arm 48is exactly horizontal. Rotation of disk 99 swings the upper end of rod35 through the arc 122a (Fig. 2). This sets up pivotal movement of crank122 about the point of its connection to link 122, and, when thismovement is in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2) cranklug 125 finallyengages arm lug 120 to positively hold arm 48 and snutfer 46 down.

In considering the showing of Fig. 2, it is to be remembered that, asstated in the brief description of the figure, rod 85 is shown asshifted to a position of regulation other than that it occupies in Fig.1, for with rod 85 in the position of Fig. 1, crank 122, as viewed inplan, is normal to the axis of arm 48.

Though not essential to the operation of the above described mechanismand therefore not to be considered as limitative on the invention, it issometimes of advantage to provide means for snapping arm 48 to fullyelevated or fully depressed positions as pivot point 124 passes throughthe vertical axial plane of pivot 49 during actuation of crank 122 bythermostatic rotation of rod 85 under certain circumstances. We havedevised a particularly efiicient and simple snap-over mechanism for thispurpose. A formation adapted to function as a snapspring anchor, fixedwith respect to housing 69, is illustrated in detached aspect in Fig. 3and is generally indicated at 126. This anchor includes arms 127connected by bridge 128 and from one of which arms there extends amember 129 having an attachment tab 130 extended through housing-top 70as at 131. Arms 127 are notched at 132 to take pivot shaft 49, saidshaft acting to support the anchor. Bridge 128 is pierced at 133 toreceive the tab 134 of snap-over, loop-spring 135 which, in Fig. 3, isshown in unstressed condition. The tab 136 at the other end of thespring loop is adapted to be engaged with car 137 punched down from theweb portion of channeled arm 48.

Spring 135 is installed in stressed condition as shown in Fig. l,functioning resiliently to hold arm 48 either in the full line or dottedline position of that figure. The reaction of coil 84 to changingtemperature conditions builds up forces which finally become ofsufiicient magnitude to overcome the opposing force of spring 135; andthe arm 48 with its annulus 46 is snapped from full line position todotted line position, or vice versa. Shaft 49 is stationary and does notswing with arm 48; so that the pressure of member 126 against it doesnot impede the arm action.

It will first be assumed that snap-over spring 135 is omitted from theassembly. It will be noted that, with the upper end of rod 85 fixedagainst translation, a rising temperature applied to thermostatic coil84 causes that coil to uncoil or tend to uncoil, thus rotating ortending to rotate, rod 85 and crank arm 122 in a counterclockwisedirection (Fig. 2) thrusting on connecting rod 123 and crank arm 121 ina manner tending to swing arm 43 in a clockwise direction from the fullline position of Fig. 1 to the dotted line position to lower thesnutfer. On the other hand, a decreasing temperature applied to coil 84acts reversely, that is, it tends to swing arm 48 in a counterclockwisedirection to raise the snuffer.

It will have been predetermined that, with the thermostatic coil 84 inequilibrium, and the upper end of rod 85 held against translation, itrequires a rise or fall of a given number of degrees or a fraction of adegree in temperature to rotate rod 85 about its axis sufliciently toswing arm 48 from either the full line or the dotted line position to amidway position. We will call this predetermined extent of rise or fallin temperature the operating differential.

If the snap-over spring 135 be installed after the device has beenadjusted and calibrated, it will, of course, prevent the arm 48 andannulus 46 from dwelling in equilibrium positions, that is, positionsmid-way between the full and. dotted line positions of Fig. 1. Since thethermostatic coil 84 must overcome the force of spring 135 in order toactuate the snuffer, the value of the operating differential will beslightly increased. On the other hand, the snap-over action has theadvantage of preventing the arm 48 from hovering in equilibriumcondition and thus from being susceptible to extraneous forces whichmight otherwise cause undesirable snuffer-movement.

The pilot tip 41 described in connection with the embodiment so fardiscussed is for the purpose of protecting the pilot flame from draftswhen the main burner flame is extinguished. However, such a protectionis not always necessary, or it may be provided by other shielding means,carried, for instance by the annulus 46. We have shown such means inFigs. 4 and 5. It will be observed that in this embodiment the pilotwick is merely that portion of the main burner wick which directlyunderlies the annulus bore 50 when the snulfer annulus is inextinguishing position.

Burner cartridge 23b is made up of a cylindrical jacket 27b containingwicking 29b. The central, circular portion 28b of the wicking, whichportion directly underlies the bore 50 of annulus 46, acts as the pilotwick of the assembly. It will be seen that this pilot flame area iscircumferentially defined by the wall of bore 50 and the flame therefromwill not be extinguished by reciprocation of the and extendingdiametrically across bore 50 and in a plane normal to the axis of arm41%. The plate is cut away at 222 to allow for the passage of fork arms56. The cut outs also permit relative pivotal movement between arms Weclaim:

v 1. In a flame extinguisher for burners, an annulus having a centralthrough bore, upstanding ears on the annulus at diametrically oppositesides of the annulus bore, a pivotally supported arm, a fork on said armand spanningethe annulus bore, and pivotal-connections between the forkand said ears.

'2. In a flame extinguisher for burners, an annulus having a centralthrough bore, and a flat plate arranged on edge and normal to the planeor and secured to the annulus, said plate extending diametrically acrossthe annulus bore.

3. A flame extinguisher as in claim 2, wherein a portion of said plateextends axially through the annulus bore.

56 and annulus 46, but the extent of such movement is 1 limited by theoppositely projecting, horizontal stops 223 'struck from plate 220 abovearms 56. These stops, in

their coaction with arms 56 prevent theaccidental tilting of the annulusto an extent which might otherwise cause the annulus to catch in or diginto the wick material 2%.

It will be noted that the plate portion 224 extends downwardly throughbore 50 to a point in close proximity with wick 2% when the annulus isin snufling position, while the upper part of the plate extends wellabove annulus 46, thus serving as a draft-shield which protects at leasthalf of the pilot flame when the annulus is fully depressed at least asto drafts which are in or approximately in a direction normal to theplane of the plate. The arms 56 serve as partial pilot-flame shieldsagainst'drafts coming in from other directions.

Whileewe have shown and described preferred embodiments of ourinvention, various changes in design, structure and arrangement may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

4 In a flame extinguisher for burners, a supporting member, an armpivotally mounted on said supporting member, an annulus having a centralthrough bore, said annulus being pivotally mounted on said arm, a platenormal to the plane of and secured'to the annulus, said plateextendingacross the annulus bore, and means on said plate limiting'the,pivotal movementof the annulus with respect to the arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent

